Things Got Worse After His Porsche Was Spared

Today's focus: Winter Park sinkhole Where they are now

WINTER PARK — Bob Govern remembers standing at the edge of the Winter Park sinkhole and staring down at his brown 1979 Porsche 928.

Although several other cars ended up half-buried in the swirling dirt, his $40,000 sports car had been neatly deposited on a ledge and spared.

But that didn't exactly please him.

''I didn't want to get it back,'' he said, explaining his insurance would have paid him more than what the car was worth. ''I wish it had just gone down the hole.''

Things would only get worse for Govern.

One year later, the millionaire Winter Park builder was charged with helping run a $300 million marijuana ring. He was convicted in November 1982 and sentenced to 45 years in prison.

In an interview this week from the Federal Correctional Institution at El Reno, Okla., Govern said he didn't realize this was the 10th anniversary of the sinkhole.

''I would have figured it was closer to 20 (years),'' said Govern, 43, who will be eligible for parole in April. ''You haven't been where I've been for the last nine years.''

Looking back, Govern said his Porsche was more trouble than it was worth. In fact, he had trouble driving the car home from the paint shop a few months after the sinkhole opened. ''Do you know that the thing broke down right in front of the sinkhole?'' Govern said. ''Unbelievable.''